Authorised Signatories

The authorised signatory register plays an important role in maintaining the Council’s financial controls and financial governance. The register records, amongst other information, the approved authorisation levels for purchasing, payments and salaries.

Authorised signatory status is delegated to specific posts. If any details change to the post or the officer (for example, job title, post number, officer etc). the existing form becomes void and a new form must be completed if authorised signatory status is still required

Reviews are undertaken to ensure validity and accuracy of information. A new form is required every three years. Delegated officers will be contacted in advance when their form is due to expire.

Authorised signatory form

Following process changes due to One Source implementation and remote working, the authorised signatory form and process has been amended and simplified to allow paperless approval and submission.

The requirement to renew forms every 3 years which was put on hold during 2020 will resume from March 2021. All existing signatories who have a form older than 3 years (or coming up to expiry) will be contacted shortly to complete the renewal.

Please refer to the instructions on the second page of the form prior to completion and submitting, to avoid unnecessary delays. Please note - the form must be signed and initialled with your usual signature, use the stylus with your Thinkpad if you have one, to send electronically, complete, sign and scan a hard copy. Do not just type your name and initials as the form will not be accepted.

If the form does not automatically open as a PDF (in Adobe Acrobat Reader), to enable the 'fill and sign' option save the form to your OneDrive, then mouse right-click > Open with > select 'Open with Adobe Acrobat Reader'

Existing signatories do not need to complete a new form until their current one is due to expire. Schools and Service areas are requested to always use the form link available here and not save a blank copy locally for later use - this ensures that the latest version is always used and thus avoiding processing delays.

Approval Levels

The below table is to be used as a guide only. Approval levels have been aligned with the limits in One Source for orders, payments, expenses and salaries. The approval limit must be chosen from the drop down list detailed on the form, please do not attempt to amend them.

All approval levels for works, goods and services are exclusive of VAT.

	Chair of Governors	Head Teacher	Deputy Head Teacher/School-based Childrens Centre Manager	Other - Including school based non-teaching staff
Orders and creditor invoices for work, goods and services (Inc. agency staff timesheets, LMS transfers, purchase card applications, limits and spend approvals; expenses, mileage and travel	£500 (HT expenses only)	Up to £500,000	Up to £100,000	Up to £10,000
Payment of salaries,wages	Up to £120,000	Up to £120,000	Up to £75,000	N/A

Chair of Governors should complete the separate form available above. It is the Head Teacher's responsibility to ensure that a new form is completed for the Chair of Governors when required. Please note that Head teacher and Chair of Governors authorisation limits must match due to the requirement to approve each others signatory forms.

All authorised signatories and their managers must be familiar with the rules below:

Financial rules (PDF 908KB)

Contract rules (PDF 796KB)

Employee code of conduct (PDF128KB)

If you have any queries or require further information, please contact:

Financial Administration and Support
3rd Floor Civic Centre, Darwall Street
Walsall
WS1 1DB

email projectsandperformanceteam@walsall.gov.uk